Pain is the most commonly self-treated symptom and there are an increasing number of pain relievers that are being purchased by the consumers in India without any prescription, despite the fact that most of these come under the schedule H (prescription drugs) category. Two most commonly used OTC drug for relieving pain are paracetamol and ibuprofen. This article tries to give a comparative analysis of the use of these two drugs. The following table compares the pain-relieving and fever-fighting abilities of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. They also compare side effects, toxicity, and other risks.
For some conditions, one popular over-the-counter drug has the advantage over the other. For others, both medicines work well. But each medication comes with risks, some of them significant. Therefore, it is better to make your patient aware of these facts before they consume these drugs…
